Is the Keto Diet Safe for Diabetics?

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Diabetes is a health condition that affects the regulation of blood sugar. Sugars and carbs, in general, are not friendly to the health of those who have diabetes. If you are diabetic, one of the things your doctor may have told you is to limit your sugar and carb intake.

This is because crabs generally have a high glycemic index. This means that crabs can cause a sharp rise in your blood sugar level within a short period after it is eaten. So then, low-carb diets may be beneficial for diabetics. However, when it comes to the keto diet, it is a very low kind of low-carb. So, is the keto diet safe for diabetics?

The truth is that diet management is one of the main components of managing diabetes. There are different forms of low-carb diets that have proven helpful over the years and keto seems to be one of them. But then, when you are on the keto diet, your daily carb consumption would stand at 20 grams or lower.

Is this safe for those who are diabetic? Diabetics indeed need to cut down on carb consumption, but is keto not too low? Is keto a healthful way of eating for diabetics? Yes, it is. Low-carb diets like the keto diet are good for managing blood sugar levels in diabetics.

Diabetes and Low-Carb Diets

Most of the typical American food is made up of crabs. High-carb foods like bread, pasta, and rice, are like staple foods. They are also a major source of energy for many biochemical processes in your body.

When you eat carbs, your body breaks it down into glucose. This glucose remains in your blood until insulin transports it from there into your cells where it is used for energy.

When a person has diabetes, what happens is that insulin would either be absent or would not work the way it should. So the glucose remains in the blood.

High-carb meals have a high glycemic index. They can cause a spike in glucose levels in your body. This may not be so much of a problem if insulin would do its work. But for a person who is diabetic, this can cause serious health problems.

For this reason, low-carb diets are good for managing diabetes. But then, there are many types of low-carb diets. Some experts would tell you that one type of low-carb diet is better than another. A lot of people promote the keto diet as the best.

But according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), no particular diet is more preferred. The reason why the ADA does not recommend one diet above others is that each person’s dietary needs differ from others’.

Doctors are trained to individualize the diet plan for each person to manage diabetes. The individualized diet plan is usually based on a person’s food preferences, eating habits, and health goals.

Anyways, the Keto diet is good for managing diabetes because its central concept is limiting carb consumption. It can also reduce your risks of having diabetes if you don’t have it yet.

Essentially, the keto diet improves glycemic control in the body. This is very helpful for those who are diabetic.

Is The Keto Diet Safe For Diabetics?

One of the major fears of people when it comes to the ketogenic diet is that it severely restricts carbs. The endpoint of this restriction is that it forces your body to use fats as its energy source instead of carbs.

That process where your body uses fats for energy is known as ketosis. In any case, ketosis could be of great benefit to diabetics. In the first place, the process of converting glucose to energy in their body is already impaired.

So, how safe is the keto diet for diabetics?

The impact of the keto diet on blood sugar

Keto eating would help to control blood glucose levels on a long-term basis. When you are on keto, your body would maintain a low but healthy glucose level. This is safe and may be helpful for diabetics.

More so, the restriction of carbs in keto helps to prevent huge spikes in your blood sugar. This reduces the need for insulin which is already deficient or malfunctioning in diabetics.

The impact of the keto diet on diabetic medications

The keto diet would significantly reduce the levels of sugar in your blood. The reason why people with diabetes take medications is to normalize their blood sugar. If the keto diet is already doing this, then the need to take medication would also reduce.

However, experts have said that it is risky to do keto and take medications for diabetes at the same time. You may develop hypoglycemia (a low blood sugar level) in the process. So if you want to go on keto, you should talk to your doctor about adjusting your medications.

The impact of the keto diet on weight

Excess weight is one of the risk factors for diabetes. Thankfully, the keto diet can help your body burn excess fat. Weight loss, no matter how little, supports glycemic control, energy distribution, and overall well-being.

Are There Possible Side Effects?

The keto diet has a few side effects too. Some of the short-term adverse effects may mimic withdrawal symptoms. This is understandable because your body is getting used to staying off carbs. These symptoms are as follows:

Flu-like symptoms (called the keto flu)

Digestive symptoms like constipation

Leg cramps

A drop in energy levels (which later picks up)

Mental fogginess that lasts only a few days

Frequent urination

Headaches (probably due to dehydration. Drinking lots more water might help)

These adverse effects are usually temporary. They last only a few days and they are gone. People who eat keto do not usually experience any long-term health issues.

So, is the keto diet safe for diabetics? Yes, it is. It may take some time for your body to adjust, but you stand no major health risks. The only major caution is to talk with your doctor about your medications and make sure you drink lots of water.

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